SeaTrain

MUA members Nathan Vissher and John Fox aboard the Samar Spirit

Teekay training program afloat as union calls for all 600 members in the fleet to get aboard.
Australia is suffering a skills crisis. Recent reports identify maritime skills especially as reaching a critical mass with the potential to greatly impact on future economic growth. Trained seafarers are essential to all shipping port and ancillary industries. In this context the Teekay/MUA program is a watershed

Teekay Shipping has seconded MUA member, IR Mick Ruse, as Training Co-ordinator, based at their Port Botany headquarters. He will co-ordinate an extensive training program for ship's crew on their 17 strong fleet.

The training commitment comes from the recent round of enterprise agreement negotiations with the union.

"This is a fundamental breakthrough with wider implications for the whole industry and national skills base," said National Secretary Paddy Crumlin.

"We are facing a skills shortage in the shipping industry, mainly due to some employers failing to meet their obligation to train their crew and bring new people into the industry. Appointing Mick Ruse is recognition of the union and Mick's contribution and professionalism."

Teekay is covering all costs for the courses and the co-ordinatoršs wage.

"I now have a plan up for the year across the board," said Mick Ruse. "We have identified target groups and alternate groups covering approximately 600-700 crew on 13 of Teekay's 17 vessels."

The program developed by Mick Ruse was the work of a Training Committee set up as part of the EBA which recommended a skills audit and training needs analysis. Around 20 courses are already proposed covering dogging, rigging, scaffolding, first aid, OH&S, fire fighting, helicopter, workboats, offshore cranes and manual handling.

Others are in the pipeline.

Each course takes eight to 16 people. All are run by registered training organisations.

"It's great," said Mick. "The blokes will all get trained. They'll all get nationally accredited skills and a career path. Ideally it will also improve safety on board, lessen job accidents and lower compensation rates.

The aim is to make a better trained, skilled and safe work place.

Mick Ruse worked on the Northwest Snipe out of Karratha to Japan as an IR for nine years before he was seconded to co-ordinate the training in January. He is also MUA assistant national returning officer.

"I'm enjoying it," he said. "It's helping our blokes out and sets a benchmark for others to follow."

Meanwhile the latest Teekay/ALSOC enterprise agreement is now finalised for oil and dry vessels while talks on the offshore fleet EBA began in May.

The negotiating team is Assistant National Secretary Rick Newlyn, Dave Perry, Brisbane, Paul Garrett, Sydney, Mark Armstrong, Port Kembla and rank and file delegates from the ships.

"We managed to get consistent conditions across the fleet for the first time," said Rick Newlyn. "We were able to protect the caterers positions which were under the axe and we had Dave Perry visit the floaters. That's the first time an official has been able to get out there for some time. It meant we could make sure we were getting the information out far and wide."

Sydney Branch Assistant Secretary Paul Garrett described the training as a great outcome of the enterprise agreement. "Members should not miss the opportunity to be involved in training," he said. "You should put in your application forms as soon as you can."

The other major outcomes were a four per cent pay increase each year for the life of the EBA and the company providing private health insurance for members worth around $2,500 each.